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IGHI MIZUNO 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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CDEffilGKT DEPOSIT. 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 



The Kindergarten 
in Japan 

ITS EFFECT 

UPON THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL 

AND MORAL TRAITS OF 

JAPANESE SCHOOL 

CHILDREN 



BY 

TSUNEKICHI MIZUNO 

B. A. Hiroshima 

Higher Normal School, Japan 

1908 




Boston 
The Stratford Co. , Publishers 



Copyright, 1917, 
By The STRATFORD CO., Publishers 



./Is- 



i''- 



m 25 1917 



The Alpine Press, Boston, U. S. A, 

©C1A462690 



PREFACE 

IN how far are the assumed virtues and promises 
of educational theories and doctrines actually 
realized when these theories and doctrines are 
put into operation? This question is typical of the 
most important problems that educational science is 
today resolutely facing and attempting to solve. Just 
as no educational doctrine is so old or so well estab- 
lished as to be immune to unbiased investigation, so 
no proposal for reform should be looked upon as so 
plausible as to claim immunity to the acid-test of 
measured results. The ultimate effects of certain pro- 
posals may be difficult to predict; the immediate ef- 
fects may be difficult to determine and evaluate ; but 
these are assumptions neither to be made lightly nor 
to be used as a cloak for mental inertia. The very 
difficulty should rather be a spur to the devising of 
means toward accurate prediction, exact measurement; 
and just evaluation. 

Mr. Mizuno's book records the results of an investi- 
gation into the influences of the educational theories 
and doctrines underlying the kindergarten. It would 
not be the part of wisdom either to condemn or to ap- 

[vii] 



prove a highly involved theory upon the basis of a 
single investigation necessarily so limited as this ; but 
such investigations may well point the way to more ex- 
tended studies and suggest a method through the 
gradual refinement of which the basic facts may ul- 
timately be revealed. 

W. C. Bagley. 
School of Education, 
University of Illinois. 



viiij 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER I 

Introduction 11 

CHAPTER II 
Status of the Kindergartens in Different 

Countries 15 

A. Germany 15 

B. Austria-Hungary . . . . . .15 

C. Switzerland 16 

D. Netherlands 16 

E. Belgium 16 

F. Portugal 17 

G. Russia 17 

H. Sweden 17 

I. Australia 17 

J. Italy 17 

K. England 19 

L. France 21 

M. The United States 22 

N. Summary 24 

CHAPTER III 

The Kindergarten in Japan 31 

A. Its development and present status . . .31 

B. The object of the first Kindergarten in Tokyo 32 

C. The training of Kindergarteners in Japan . 32 

D. The laws concerning the Kindergarten . . 32 

E. The old curriculum 34 

F. Present principles in the Kindergarten training 35 

CHAPTER IV 
The Effect of Kindergarten Training Upon the 
Physical, Mental and Moral Traits of 
Japanese School Children . . .41 

A. Object of the investigation . . . .41 

B. Method of the investigation . . . .43 

C. The classification of the teachers' criticisms 

of the Kindergarten children . . .55 

D. Supplementary investigation of the school 

marks of Kindergarten and Non-Kinder- 
garten children 58 

E. Comparison with other investigations . . 60 

F. Conclusions 61 

[ix] 



THE KINDERGARTEN 
IN JAPAN 



CHAPTER I 

Introduction 



** Kindergarten " signifies a children's garden, or a 
garden of children. This name was selected by its 
founder, Friedrich Froebel, because it expressed his 
idea of development directed by a knowledge of the 
organism to be developed and aided by the selection 
of a right environment. But this name fails to ex* 
press another important aspect of the institution; 
''the garden of children" gives no suggestion of its 
social aspect. According to the founder, the object 
of the kindergarten is as follows: — *'It shall receive 
children before the school age, give them employment 
suited to their nature, strengthen their bodies, exer- 
cise their senses, employ their waking mind, make 
them acquainted judiciously with nature and society, 
cultivate especially the heart and temper, and lead 
them to the foundation of all living. ' ' He was unable 
for a long time to find a suitable name. He called 
the institution *'a school for the psychological train- 
ing of little children by means of play and occupa- 
tions." At one time he called it *'the children's in- 

[11] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

• 

stitution", or "Flay School". He would often ex- 
claim, *'Ah! How I wish I could find a name for my 
youngest born ! " He was once walking over the hills 
towards Blankenburg with Middendorff and Bar op. 
Suddenly he stopped and shouted joyfully, ' ' Eureka, 
I have found it! 'Kindergarten' is the word." Thus 
he came upon the name accidentally. But, in his day 
to name the institution a "garden" was an auda- 
cious idea. The most modern kindergarten aims to be 
much more than a garden, a refuge or a nursery, 
though it has these values incidentally. The kinder- 
garten aims to make use of the natural instinct of the 
child for play and to divert this activity into more 
orderly and meaningful channels than it would fol- 
low if left undirected. It aims to put before him 
certain ideals which he shall later make his own and 
which shall become effective motives in his post-kinder- 
garten days. It aims, too, to create for the child a 
social environment which shall evoke his apprecia- 
tion of a cultural social atmosphere. In the kinder- 
garten he is more than 'Ego'. He is to realize that, 
however fondly his mother may regard him as the 
only important human unit, he is, as a matter of fact, 
but a single member of a large social group. In this 
way his thought and his interest become less self- 
centered and he learns something of the social arts and 
graces. It is from this point of view that the defini- 
tion of the modern kindergarten is as given by Profes- 
sor Monroe, ''a societj^ of children engaged in play 
and in various forms of self-expression, through which 

[12] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

the children learn something of the values and meth. 
ods of social life without as yet being burdened by its 
technique."* But, in reality, it seems to me that some 
kindergarteners are not well prepared to realize their 
ideals. Perhaps because the followers of Froebel have 
been chiefly women his theory and practice have been 
carefully and faithfully conserved and cultivated 
and there has not been, as yet, much reformation and 
modification, especially in the play program. The 
games, gifts and occupations are overemphasized and 
in some kindergartens the outdoor-work has been al- 
most eliminated. In any event, it seems to me that 
there is much room for controversy in the methods of 
the kindergarten training. These methods are not 
limited to the kindergartens in Japan : this criticism 
can also apply to some kindergartens in the United 
States. When I was an instructor of education in a 
Girls' Normal School in Japan I was asked by many 
parents whether or not for a child there was any ad- 
vantage in kindergarten training. Since then, the 
kindergarten problem "has been of particular interest 
to me. I have sought to study the status of the kinder- 
garten in different countries and more particularly 
in Japan. The present thesis embodies the results 
of this study. 



^See Cyclopedia of Education, page 598. 

[13] 



CHAPTER II 

Status of the Kindergarten in Different 
Countries* 

A. Germany 

Practically no attention is given to infant educa- 
tion in the school systems of Germany. This nation 
which gave the world the discoverer of the kinder- 
garten has never indorsed his ideas in any whole- 
hearted manner. Froebel established his first kinder- 
garten at Blankenburg in 1837 (he named it Kinder- 
garten in 1840;) but so little favor did it meet that 
between the years 1851 and 1861, it was officially pro- 
hibited in Prussia, and even to-day it has not been in- 
corporated in the public school system of that 
kingdom. 

Even the private kindergartens are not largely at- 
tended. The number of these private kindergartens 
is between 200 and 300. 

B. Austria-Hungary 

In Austria-Hungary infant schools had been or- 
ganized before the kindergarten was invented, but the 
influence of Froebel began to be felt even during his 
life time, and the transformation of the infant schools 
was gradually effected. In 1872 kindergartens were 
made a part of the school system, and since then all 

* Annual report of National Kindergarten Association (1911) pp. 23. 

[15] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

• 

children between the ages of four and six have been 
compelled to attend either the kindergarten or the in- 
fant schools. Every normal school student is required 
to understand the educational principles of Froebel's 
kindergarten. In 1903 there were 77,000 children be- 
tween the ages of three and six in the kindergartens 
of Austria, and 154,000 in those of Hungary. There 
was also a completely organized system of day nurser- 
ies, which enrolled 152,000 children. The kinder- 
gartens of Hungary compare well with the best in 
Switzerland and in the United States. 

C. Switzerland 

The first kindergarten in Switzerland was opened 
in 1872 in Zurich. In 1881 a national kindergarten 
association was organized there. In 1900 there were 
767 kindergartens attended by 30,344 children be- 
tween the ages of four and six. 

Z>. The Netherlands 

The kindergarten movement in the Netherlands was 
inspired by Baroness Marenholtz Von Biilow in 1858. 
In 1900 there were in that country 1,047 kinder- 
gartens and now there are both public and private 
kindergartens with a total of about 125,000 children. 

E. Belgium 

Kindergartens have existed here since 1842. In 
1857 Baroness Von Biilow gave many lectures about 

[16] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

the kindergarten. In 1899 there were 2198 kinder- 
gartens and 222,068 children between three and six 
were enrolled in these schools. Now more than 250,- 
000 children are trained in the kindergartens. 

F. Portugal 

Infant schools of the 'maternal' or nursery type 
enroll children from three to six years of age. 

G. Russia 

There are a few kindergartens here, some dating 
back a quarter of a century. 

H. Sweden 

Infant education in Sweden is of the 'maternal' 
rather than kindergarten type. There are over 5,000 
infant schools, called Smaskolar, which prepare for 
the elementary grades. 

I. Australia 

In this country infant schools, with a two-years' 
course, are found in New South Wales and in Western 
Australia. 

J. Italy 

In Italy the first kindergarten was opened in 1850. 
Baroness Von Biilow lectured on the kindergarten 
during 1871 to 1872 and at the end of the year her lec- 

[17] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

tures were published. Inspired by her, the Italians 
founded a large kindergarten in Naples, and a few in 
Florence, Rome and Venice. In 1907-8 there were 
3,576 schools and 343,563 children who were being 
trained in the kindergartens. As in other countries, 
these institutions are private and communal, although 
they receive grants from the general government. 
They have been established in at least one-fourth of 
the communes. Here in Italy, so called kindergartens 
are in reality day nurseries, since children are allowed 
to enter at the age of two and a half years. In Italy, 
as in Japan, the lack of trained kindergarteners is a 
source of weakness. Yet there are some very good 
training courses in the normal schools, and excellent 
private training schools in Naples, Verona, and Rome. 
The Royal Froebel Institute, at Rome, received an 
endowment from Victor Emmanuel II. Since 1907 
Dr. Montessori has organized the infant school called 
the Casa dei Bambini, or "The Children's House", 
in Rome. 

The essentials of her system are a strong emphasis 
on sense training and great stress on the freedom of 
the child. For the sense training there are many dif- 
ferent pieces of apparatus designed to develop the sev- 
eral senses. As she was a close student of Itard and 
Seguin, there are various wooden insets similar to 
those used by them. The child learns to recognize the 
form by passing the fingers around the edges of the 
insets and then putting them in their proper places. 
She also uses blocks of various sizes and silk bobbins 

[18] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

of different colors and shades, and letters cut from 
sandpaper. In addition to this somewhat formal 
sense training, there is buttoning and lacing cloth or 
leather fastened on frames. There is nothing new in 
this, however, as there have been many American 
schools which have used these methods in the training 
of feeble minded children for some time past. The 
second essential feature of the Montessori method is 
the freedom of the child. This principle, too, is not 
a new invention after all, as every student of educa- 
tional history knows. Her distinguished service is 
rather the awakening of infant educators who have 
been tired of the repetition of the Froebel's gifts and 
occupations. 

K. England 

In 1854 Von Marenholtz Biilow visited England. 
There had already been established in London a Froe- 
belian kindergarten, which was conducted by Mr. and 
Mrs. Ronge. In the same year there was an educa- 
tional exhibition in the city.* To this exhibition Bar- 
oness Biilow presented the series of gifts and Mrs. 
Ronge gave a lecture on the exhibition. In fact, this 
was the first lecture about the kindergarten in Eng- 
land. This lecture awakened the prominent educa- 
tors who were amazed at the new idea in pedagogy. 

Then Madam Biilow published a book in English 
entitled, ** Educational Mission of Women '\ Mr. 
Dickens also published an article in his "Household 

* "Infant Schools" by David Salmon, pp. 116-122. 

[19] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

Words"* and wrote an explanatory essay on her 
book. By means of this book many English educators 
and society women were suddenly inspired and much 
interest was aroused. 

In 1857 Miss Doreck came over from Wurtenberg 
and founded the London Kindergarten. Since 1861 
Miss Eleonore Heerwart (who had been trained by 
Middendorff at Keilhau) and the Baroness Adele de 
Portugal and Madame Emilie Michaelis came to Eng- 
land and these contributed much to the kindergarten 
movement. 

For the first twenty years the effect of the propa- 
ganda was felt mainly in the private schools for the 
wealthy, though it had been commended by one of the 
inspectors of the eductional department as early as 
1854. At length the London School Board was estab- 
lished in 1870 to investigate the conditions of the old 
schools and the new scheme. In February, 1871, a 
committee was appointed (with Professor Huxley as 
its chairman) to consider the curriculum to be adopted 
in the elementary schools. 

In 1874 the Board appointed Miss Bishop to lecture 
on the kindergarten and in the same year the Croydon 
School Board appointed Madame Michaelis. 

In the same year also the British and Foreign 
Training School established a kindergarten in connec- 
tion with its college at Stockwell and invited Miss 
Heerwart to take charge of it. Thenceforth the germ 
of the kindergarten took quick root, and within a few 

*No. 278, July 21st, 1855 

[20] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

years most Infant Schools regularly employed Froe- 
bel's games and many were imbued with his spirit. 
At present England is the foremost nation in the 
world in the provisions for educational facilities in 
the preliminary grade. Over 2,000,000 children be- 
tween the ages of three and seven are enrolled in the 
English Infant Schools. Yet, strictly speaking, these 
schools are not real kindergartens, but ordinary 
schools for teaching the rudiments, with some kinder- 
garten attachments. They lead directly into the ele- 
mentary school. 

L. France 

France, like England, retained the Infant Schools 
(though they call them the Maternal Schools, ecoles 
maternelles) instead of adopting the kindergarten. 
The Baroness Von Billow's efforts in France in 1855 
resulted in many reforms in the maternal schools of 
the country; although, as a result of the feeling 
aroused by the French-Prussian war, everything 
German, even the name Kindergarten, was rejected, 
and progress in that line came to an end. 

The ecoles maternelles and the classes enfantines do 
not follow the teaching of Froebel, but exist chiefly 
for social and economic reasons. They are primarily 
designed in the interest of the mothers whose house- 
hold or business duties demand all their time. These 
schools relieve them of the care of their young chil- 
dren. The hours at school are long, frequently from 

[21] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

7 A. M. to 7 P. M., and there is much work and little 
play. The teachers are women, most of whom are not 
specially trained. In 1906-1907 the ^coles Matern- 
elles enrolled 651,955 children between the ages of two 
and six years. 

M. United States 

In the United States the kindergarten has been 
cordially received. Its principles have influenced the 
public school system and have in turn been developed 
and modified by it. And here we can find the best 
kindergartens and the best organization of the insti- 
tution in the world. 

The development of the kindergarten movement in 
the United States may be traced by the following 
dates : 

1827. An Infant School Society was formed in 
New York City in the interest of children from three 
to six years of age, but it was incorporated into the 
New York Public Society. 

1855. Mrs. Carl Schurz, who had studied under 
Froebel, established at Watertown, Wisconsin, the 
first American Kindergarten. All the early kinder- 
gartens were conducted by the cultured German im- 
migrants and German was spoken in them. 

1860. The first ardent American apostle of the 
kindergarten, Miss Elizabeth Peabody opened a 
kindergarten in Boston. She was the sister-in-law of 
Horace Mann. 

[22] 



THE KINDERGABTEN IN JAPAN 

1868. The first American school for training kin- 
dergarten teachers was opened in Boston. 

1872. Miss Maria Bblte opened a training school 
in New York. 

1873. Another training school was established in 
New York. Both schools were conducted by ladies 
who had been trained under Froebel's associates in 
Europe. 

1873. The first public kindergarten was opened 
by the School Board of St. Louis, Mo., under the 
superintendency of Dr. Harris. It was conducted by 
Miss Susan E. Blow and with such success as to es- 
tablish it firmly in the St. Louis system and to en- 
courage similar experiments in other cities. 

1876-1889. Mrs. Quincy A. Shaw supported the 
entire free kindergarten system of Boston. 

1881. The kindergarten was adopted as part of its 
public school system at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

The following cities also adopted the kindergarten 
as part of their school system in these early years. 

1883. Des Moines, la. 1891. Lexington, Ky. 

1884. Portland, Me. 1891. Utica, N. Y. 
1886. New Orleans, La. 1892. St. Paul, Minn. 

1886. Hartford, Conn. 1893. Chicago, 111. 

1887. Philadelphia, Pa. 1893. Worcester, Mass. 

1888. Rochester, N. Y. 1893. New York, N. Y. 

1889. Los Angeles, Cal. 1893. Omaha, Neb. 

The general idea of the growth of the kindergar- 
tens in the United States will be indicated from the 
following data: 

[23] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

In 1902 there were in the United States a total of 
3,244 kindergartens, with an enrollment of 205,432 
children. The census of 1900 gave a population of 
3,636,583 children between 4 and 6 years of age, so 
that a little more than 5% of the children between 
the ages of 4 and 6 were receiving kindergarten 
training in 1902. Ten years later we find 7,557 kin- 
dergartens with an enrollment of 353,546 children. 
The census of 1910 gives a population of 4,150,815 
children between 4 and 6 years of age. In 1912, 
therefore, approximately 9% of the children of kin- 
dergarten age were in the kindergartens.* 

Figure 1 (Bulletin 1914 No. 6 pp. 15.) shows the 
numbers of children enrolled in kindergarten per 
1000 of the population between 4 and 6 years of age 
in 1912. 

N. Summary 

The foregoing figures indicate the development of 
the Kindergarten externally. This sort of measure- 
ment, however, "is akin to standing a little child 
against the kitchen door and measuring its height 
every six months, and letting it triumphantly view the 
new scratch which shows how it is 'growing!' But 
no series of ascending scratches can record the devel- 
opment of the little child 's mind and power. ' '** Now, 
let me describe its development from within. It seems 
to me that the only real Froebelian Kindergartens 
are to be found in the United States. In Germany 
we are not able to find them, though Germany gave 

*U. S. Bulletin, 1914, No. 6. ' 'Kindergarten in the United States' ' pp. 7. 
**U. S. Bulletin, 1914, No. 6., pp. 7. 

[24] 



FIG. I 

Number of children enrolled in kindergartens per thousand 
of the population between 4 and 6 years of age in 1912. 

1. New Jersey — 278. 



2. 


District of 


Columbia- 


-250. 


3. 


New York- 


234. 




4. 


Wisconsin- 


-234. 




5. 


Connecticut 


;— 221. 




6. 


Rhode Island— 213. 




7. 


Michigan — 


■197. 





8. Colorado — 154. 



9. Massachusetts — 132. 

10. Utah — 132. 

11. California — 129. 

12. Missouri — 109. 

13. Nebraska — 108. 

14. Minnesota — 97. 

15. Ohio — 89. 

16. Indiana — 88. 

17. Iowa — 78. 

18. New Hampsh ire — 66. 

19. Nevada — 63 . 

20. Pennsylva nia — 55. 

21. Maine — 5 0. 

22. Louisian a — 4 5 . 

23. Arizon a — 40. 

24. Maryl and — 39. 

25. Illino is — 37. 

26. Delaw are — 36. 

27. Kent ucky — 3 5 . 

28. Verm ont — 33. 

29. Okla homa — 31. 
BO. Flo rida — 26. 
31. Ge orgia — 24. 

32 So uth Dakota — 22. 

33. K ansas — 19. 

34. S outh Carolina — 18. 

35. A labama — 18. 

36. W yoming — 17. 

37. Tennessee — 16. 

38. Texas — 16. 
39^ Virginia — 15. 

40. Washington — 14. 

41. Idaho — 13. 

42. Mississippi — 12. 

43. New Mexico — 12. 

44. North Dakota — 10. 

45. Montana — 8. 

46. North Carolina — 7. 

47. Arkansas — 3. 

48. Oregon — 2. 

49. West Virginia — 1. 

(After U. S. Bulletin, 1914, No. 6.) 



[25] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

• 

to the world the founder of the kindergarten. Even 
to-day there are in that country no kindergartens 
which are established by the government. France is 
one of the leading nations as regards education dur- 
ing the *' tender age". The French schools are not, 
however, to be regarded as Kindergartens; they are 
really nurseries and exist chiefly for social and eco- 
nomical reasons. Again, England is the foremost 
nation in infant education, yet her ''Infant Schools" 
are ordinary schools for teaching the rudiments with 
some kindergarten attachments. The United States, 
on the other hand, has adopted and developed the 
kindergarten more thoroughly than any European 
country. 

Opened by cultured German immigrants, in- 
spired by the so-called "ardent American apostle of 
the Kindergarten", Miss Peabody of Boston, the 
kindergarten started its career in America. It was 
introduced into the public school system by William 
T. Harris and W. N. Hailmann. 

In the St. Louis Kindergarten, Miss Susan Blow 
emphasized symbolism and industrial training. And 
she has been the prominent leader of the conservative 
school. She advocated a close adherence to Froebel's 
fundamental educational principles. On the other 
hand, there are at present many prominent leaders of 
the younger progressive school. They believe in the 
selection of materials, games, miniature industrial 
processes, etc., from the world with which the child 
comes into daily contact, as a means of aiding him 

[26] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

to appreciate this world instead of adhering to those 
materials which Froebel selected from the relatively 
primitive village life in Blankenburg, Keilhau and 
other places with which he was associated. The pro- 
gressives also, as a rule, do not emphasize the symbolic 
values which inhere in Froebel's devices. They 
are supported by modern psychologists' analysis ot 
child experiences, represented by Professor John 
Dewey. As a partial explanation of Froebel's belief 
in symbolism, Dewey presents this very suggestive 
critique of our own Kindergartens: 

-It must be remembered that much of Froebel s 
symbolism is the product of two peculiar conditions 
of his own life and work. In the first place, on ac- 
count of inadequate knowledge at that time of the 
physiological and psychological facts and principles 
of a child's growth, he was often forced to resort to a 
strained and artificial explanation of the value at- 
taching to play, etc. To the impartial observer it is 
obvious that many of his statements are cumbrous and 
far-fetched, giving abstract philosophical reasoning 
for matters that now receive a simple every-day form- 
ulation. In the second place, the general political 
and social conditions of Germany were such that it 
was impossible to conceive continuity between the free 
co-operative life of the kindergarten and that of the 
(reactionary monarchical) world outside. Accord- 
ingly he could not regard the occupations of the 
schoolroom as literal reproductions of the ethical 
principles involved in community life,— the latter 

[27] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

were often too restricted and authoritative to serve 
as worthy models. Accordingly, he was compelled to 
think of them as symbolic of abstract ethical and phi- 
losophical principles. There certainly is change 
enough and progress enough in the social conditions 
of the United States of to-day, as compared with 
those of Germany of his day, to justify making kin- 
dergarten activities more natural, more direct, and 
more real representations of current life than Froe- 
bel's disciples have done."* 

B. L. Thorndike more emphatically concludes after 
giving many examples, "... No one has ever given 
a particle of valid evidence to show any such prepos- 
terous associations in children's minds between plain 
things and these far-away abstractions."** 

Thus, the psychological tendency of the progres- 
sive kindergarteners in the United States is to empha- 
size reality rather than Froebelian symbolism. Es- 
pecially, the experiment made in Dewey's recon- 
structed kindergarten marked a real epoch in 
kindergarten training. There is no doubt that the 
Montessori method has also made some contribution 
(as I have stated before) to the American 
kindergarten . * * * 

The first comparative investigation of sixteen thou- 
sand eighth grade graduates of the public schools of 
New York City, made by Dr. Leonard P. Ayres in 

*Elementai'y School Record 1900, p. 145. 
** "Notes on Child Study" by E. L. Thorndike, 1908, p. 80. 
***Se6 U. S. Bulletin 1914, No. 28, "The Montessori Method and the 
Kindergarten." 

[28] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

1909, to which reference will be made later in the 
thesis, raised some doubts as to the efficiency of the 
kindergarten in that City. The kindergarten Associ- 
ation is also active in studying various aspects of 
kindergarten and non-kindergarten pupils in the 
United States. 

This critical attitude toward the Froebelian kinder- 
garten is also reflected in several investigations made 
to determine the work of the kindergarten by study- 
ing its effects on the children attending it. All in 
all, the future of the American Kindergarten is 
promising. 



29 



CHAPTER III 
The Kindergarten in Japan 

A. Its Development and Present Status 

In my own country the first kindergarten was 
opened November 14th, 1876, in connection with the 
Girls' Higher Normal School in Tokyo. It was just 
36 years after the opening of Froebel's kindergarten 
in Blankenburg. The kindergarten was attended by 
children between three and six years of age. The 
first enrollment was 158 children. In most other 
countries the first kindergarten was private, but in 
Japan the first one was a government kindergarten. 
In a few years, there were many public and private 
kindergartens. 

In 1881, kindergartens increased to 17 in number 
with 1116 children; in 1890 there were 138 kinder- 
gartens; in 1900, 241. In 1889 a Kindergarten and 
Training Shool were organized in Kobe Girls' College, 
under the leadership of Miss Annie L. Howe. This in- 
stitution has been one of the important centers for the 
training of kindergarten teachers. In 1910 there 
were 443 kindergartens, 1,253 teachers and 37,298 
children, while there were 6,795,809 elementary school 
pupils. Thus, in 1910 about 6% of the elementary 
school pupils were receiving kindergarten training. 

[31] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 



B. The Object of the First Kindergarten in Tokyo 

We find the object of the first Kindergarten in the 
following sentence : ' ' It receives children three to six 
years of age, exercises their natural senses, develops 
the waking mind, strengthens their bodies, cultivates 
their emotion and trains to politeness in language and 
conduct (1876)."* 



C. The Training of Kindergarteners in Japan 

There have been two centers for the training of 
kindergarten teachers. One is the government insti- 
tution in Tokj^o ; the other, which is in Kobe, is super- 
vised by the American Missionary. These training 
schools are not sufficient for the need of the kinder- 
garten teachers. So, even now, it is common to find 
only one trained teacher and two or three untrained 
teachers in the Kindergarten. 

In general, we have adopted the training methods 
of American Kindergartens. The Tokyo kindergarten 
is trying to modify the method, so as to fit it for the 
country's children, considering the customs and 
manners. 

D. The Latvs Concerning the Kindergartens 

In 1899, a regulation limited the number of infants 
per teacher to forty and the total number of the kin- 
dergarten children in each school to one hundred, 

"Encyclopaedia Japonica" 1908, pp. 1570. 

[32] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

though under special conditions there may bo enrolled 
one hundred and fifty children. 

In 1911 the regulation was changed so that a kin- 
dergarten would enroll 120, and under special condi- 
tions 200 children. 

The following rules were fixed in 1899 for the 
equipment of the kindergarten. 

I. The building must have one story and must be 
equipped with nursing room, play-room, teacher's 
room and the other necessary rooms. 

II. The area of the nursing room must be more 
than one tsuho (about 4 sq. yards) for four cliildren. 

III. It must be equipped with gifts, pictures, play- 
materials, musical instruments, blackboard, desks, 
benches, chairs, clock, thermometer, stoves and other 
necessary things. 

IV. It is customary to make the area of the play- 
ground 1 tsubo per child. 

V. The school site, drinking water and lighting 
must follow the rules for the elementary school. 

For a time there was a tendency to think of the kin- 
dergarten as a preparatory school for the elementary 
school. Teachers taught the same materials as were 
taught in the elementary school in their attempt to 
carry out this idea. Observing this tendency, the 
government warned the teachers. In Act 196 of the 
Imperial Ordinance on Elementary Schools we find 
the following rules : 

I. Infant training should supplement home edu- 
cation by cultivating a sound mind and good habits. 

[33] 



t»J 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

II. Infant training must be in harmony with the 
degree of the development of the child's mind and 
body. It is prohibited to teach him material which 
is hard to understand or to do. 

III. In education teachers must pay attention to 
the child's individuality and always try to get him to 
imitate the teacher's good manners. 

E. The Old Curriculum 
The curriculum in 1899 was as follows : 

I. Play. 

a. Voluntary play. 

b. Co-operative play. 

In the play children practice the various activities 
with music to make them cheerful and to develop 
sound bodies. 

II. Music. 

This serves to train the auditory, vocal and respira- 
tory organs and to make children cheerful. 

III. Stories. 

The stories must be useful and interesting. The 
materials are allegories, fables and stories about 
natural and manufactured objects. The stories ought 
to train the child in the use of accurate language, to 
cultivate the virtues and to train the capacity for ob- 
servation and attention. 

[34] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

IV. Occupations. 

These will attempt to train the pupil's hands and 
eyes and to cultivate his mind by the use of the 
kindergarten ''gifts." 

F. Present Principles in the Kindergarten Training 

I. Observation. 

Observation is to train the senses, to increase the 
child's ideas of objects and to cultivate his ability to 
observe things and to be attentive. 

II. Conversation. 

a. Listening, 

The teacher tells useful and interesting stories for 
the pupils to hear. Thus, the auditory sense is trained 
and also the mind. 

b. Dialogue. 

The teacher and children talk with each other and 
train their speech organs. 

1. The materials of the conversation must be 
the common stories of Japan. 

2. In the stories it is better to use pictures, 
wherever possible. 

3. Repeat the same story many times. 

4. The teacher's pronunciation must be plain 
and clear. 

5. It is wise to let the children talk when they 
know something of the subject. 

[36] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

6. Let them listen to the teacher's whispering 
and so train their auditory senses. 

III. Music. 

a. Songs must be simple and easy to under- 
stand. 

b. The content of the song must be the com- 
mon daily phenomena of children 's experiences which 
will interest them. 

c. Music must range between D and d. The 
time may be 4/4 or 2/4. 

d. It is preferable to teach them music which 
is cheerful and suitable for marching. 

e. In order to stimulate understanding and 
interest let them accompany songs with gestures. 

f. The teacher's voice serves better as a guide 
to the child than do instruments. 

IV. Occupation. 

Occupation by use of toys trains the hands and 
eyes, and develops the mind and body. 

a. Arrangement. 

b. Blocks (the fifth gift). 

c. Ball. 

d. Top, (wooden top plays on the desk). 

e. Otetama, (small bean bags). 

f. Ohajiki, etc. (a sort of carom). 

[36] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

V. Manual Training. 

Through simple productions the Kindergarten 
trains the hands and eyes", cultivates the mental abili- 
ties of originality, imagination, and aesthetic feeling 
and trains directly for sustained effort in work. 

a. Bean work (constructive work with soaked 

beans and small bamboo sticks). 

b. Modeling. 

c. Paper folding. 

d. Needle work or embroidery. 

e. Other gifts, etc. 

VI. Drawing. 

Teachers ought to develop well the pupil's ability 
to express his ideas in pictures and at the same time 
train his hands and eyes, and cultivate aesthetic feel- 
ings. Teachers must be aware of the following 
points : 

a. The teacher ought to show some simple 
pictures drawn in order to interest them. 

b. Let children practice accurate arm move- 
ment. 

VII. Play and Method of Guiding It. 

A. Their classification of play is thus: 
Social or Co-operative Play. 

1. March. 

2. Simple Games. 

[37] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

3. Imitative Exercises. 
Individual or Special Play. 

1. Imitative Plays. 

2. Gardening. 

3. Collecting (plants, insects, pebbles, etc.). 

4. Kikai play (play of swing, wagon, rope, 

etc.). 

B. Leading principles of play for the teachers* 

a. Do not force children to participate in 
so-called kindergarten play from the very beginning. 
Guide their play instincts naturally. 

b. Teachers ought to study the development 
of the play instincts. 

1. Play must be intuitive at first. 

2. The imitative stage comes next. 

3. Then comes the expressive stage. 

c. Kindergarten play should consist of real 
play, amusement, a little art and work, but no labor 
or drudgery. 

d. The real value of play is in concentration 
or forgetting everything outside. Harm may be done 
if the teacher disturbs this concentration by seeking 
to adhere too much to the rules for the sake of formal 
appearances. 

*We can say that the original discoverer of the importance of play 
in education was Plato; its rediscoverer was Froebel; and its recon- 
structor is John Dewey. Kindergarten teachers ought to study the 
theory and practice of play. Japanese Kindergarten teachers are not 
yet acquainted with Dewey's suggestions, although much attention is 
paid to play and its guidance. 

[38] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

e. The teacher should be a kind supervisor, 
not a meddler. 

f . The teacher ought to take advantage of the 
good opportunities to observe the individualities of 
the children during their play. It will help her to 
control them. 

g. The teacher should herself take part in 
the play and she must not break the children's rules, 
even though she is their supervisor. 

VIII. Discipline. 

In Japan the government, as well as the school 
teachers, put much emphasis on moral instruction. 
Character building occupies the first place and re- 
ceives first consideration in all training and education 
of the young. Physical training and book-learning 
take second and third place. Act I of the Imperial 
Ordinance on elementary schools shows the Japanese 
educator's attitude toward the training of the physi- 
cal, mental, and moral traits : 

''Elementary schools are designed to give children 
the rudiments of moral education and of civic educa- 
tion, together with such general knowledge and skill 
as are necessary for life, while due attention is paid 
to their bodily development." 

There is in Japan much conscious dependence upon 
the school as the moulder of character. On this ac- 
count kindergarten teachers are paying due atten- 
tion to the discipline of the children. Of course, as 

[39] 



THE. KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

• 

to discipline, the teacher cannot teach by words alone 
but should teach as well by her own good manners 
and example. We cannot expect to train moral 
judgment directly, yet by careful supervision teachers 
can develop good habits and manners. They are, in 
fact, trying to teach the following manners: 

a. Greeting each acquaintance on the way to 

kindergarten. 

b. Wiping shoes at the entrance of the school 

and rooms. 

c. Good posture. 

d. Listening attitude. 

e. Not to run in the classroom. 

f. Keeping the schoolroom clean. 

g. Taking care of toys and equipments, 
h. Manners in the classroom. 

i. Manners on the playground. 

j. Table manners. 

k. Cleaning finger nails. 

1. Habit of helping themselves. 

m. Salutation of parent on leaving and return- 
ing home. (This is the custom in Japan) . 

n. Obedience to parents. 

0. Friendliness among brothers, sisters and 
playmates. 

p. Honesty. 

q. Courage, etc. 



[40] 



CHAPTER IV 

The Effect of Kindergarten Training Upon the 

Physical, Mental and Moral Traits of 

Japanese School Children 

A. Ohject of the Investigation 
The object of the investigation was to secure gen- 
eral information in regard to certain traits of kinder- 
garten children enumerated in the following question- 
naire. The result is of great importance to parents, 
to teachers of the kindergarten or elementary school, 
to supervisors and to school authorities. Some educa- 
tors in Japan think that there is no need of kindergar- 
ten training for normal children if the mother can pay 
due attention to them. Others emphasize the need of 
transition classes.' Some teachers praise blindly the 
effect of the training, while others are quite skeptical. 
I know also that in the United States some prominent 
educators believe that money devoted to kindergarten 
training is more than wasted. Yet, the number of the 
kindergartens is increasing year after year. The in- 
vestigation of the effect of kindergarten training is 
not less important and it suggests many worthy 

queries. 

a. If we should find by the use of still other and 
more comprehensive investigations that the effect of 
the kindergarten is inappreciable or positively harm- 
ful to the subsequent development of children, it 
would be wise to prohibit the establishment of kin- 

[41] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

• 

dergartens, as did a Prussian Prime Minister in the 
time of Froebel. If there be definite good effects, 
it will be well to know the example that California set : 
"Upon petition of parents or guardians of twenty-five 
or more children between the ages of four and a half 
and six, residing within a mile of an elementary 
school, and with the approval of the School Authori- 
ties, the Board of Education shall establish and main- 
tain a kindergarten."* And if there be good effects 
we would recommend the establishing of kindergartens 
in our Japanese Girls' Schools and also of classes for 
training kindergarteners and future mothers. 

b. If, again, it be found in the grades that some 
traits of kindergarten children are more desirable 
than those of nonkindergarten children, parents and 
elementary school teachers would get some hints for 
their training methods; on the other hand, if the 
traits of kindergarten children are less desirable than 
those of non-kindergarten children, the kindergarten- 
ers and their supervisors should know this and con- 
trive some remedy for the difficulty. To know what 
group of traits is stronger or weaker than the other 
group is of no less interest. 

c. The author does not pretend to solve all of 
these problems nor does he assume that any one study 
can settle conclusively these important questions. 
The data which follow, however, furnish a basis for 
answering some of these questions and give suggestions 
to all of them. 

♦Extract from recent enactment, furnished by the special commit- 
tee of The International Kindergarten Union. 

[42] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

B. Method of the Investigation 

The data which are received in the article were se- 
cured by means of the questionnaire which is repro- 
duced herewith. One thousand copies of it were dis- 
tributed to 75 typical schools. Returns were received 
from 28 schools. The questionnaire was given to each 
teacher of each grade. They were asked to fill out all 
the blanks. But in order to save the teacher's time 
and also to get many returns, the author asked teach- 
ers (with the exception of those in Hiroshima City), 
to grade only kindergarten children in each of the 
eleven qualities. The grading was to be done as con- 
scientiously as possible. The blanks under each trait 
were then to be filled out to show how many kinder- 
garten children belong to the A, B, and C group in 
<each class. 

In Hiroshima City the author himself went to each 
school, saw the teachers, explained the grading 
method, answered the questions and studied the 
traits of hoth kindergarten children and nonkinder- 
garten children. Taking the results which were ob- 
tained in Hiroshima as the standard, the author has 
tried to compare the results of the other groups. 

The study includes, then, data from twenty-four 
elementary schools in nineteen cities (24 = 20 in 18 
cities, and 4 in Hiroshima City) ; three Middle Schools 
in three cities and five girls' schools in ^ve 
cities. The data from the Middle Schools and 
Girls' School have been used only for the sake of 

[43] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

comparison. The main effort has been expended upon 
the data from the elementary schools and here the 
ipiaterial from 20 cities represents estimates upon the 
kindergarten pupil only and that from Hiroshima, 
upon both kindergarten and nonkindergarten pupils. 

Hiroshima City was selected as the standard city, 
because conditions there are favorable for such a 
study. Thus: (1) Hiroshima is a city which has, in 
its 200,000 population, comparatively few of the very 
rich or very poor class; (2) the kindergartens have 
been established there for over 20 years; (3) kinder- 
garten training has been regarded favorably; (4) 
there are many good elementary schools, — one is the 
training school of Hiroshima Higher Normal School ; 
another, the Training School of a Model Normal 
School, and the others are also of good quality; (5) 
there is the tendency among the teachers to stay 
longer in the same school than in other cities. 

The teachers were also asked to set down in the 
space left in the middle of the questionnaire their 
general criticisms of the kindergarten children. From 
these records, the author aimed to find the general 
opinion of the teachers concerning the merits and 
desirability of the kindergarten. 

About the estimations of Japanese elementary 
school teachers the author believes that they are com- 
paratively reliable for these reasons: (1) in general, 
they teach the same pupils for many years (some 
teach the same pupils from the first grade up to their 
graduation) ; (2) they try to study the individuality 

[44] 



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[45] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

of their pupils j (3) every school has the record of 
every pupil, concerning parentage, school career, 
school marks, physical traits, individuality, etc. 

To save space in the tables and to avoid repetition, 
K. in this paper signifies Kindergarten children, NK. 
NonKindergarten. 

In order to compare the K. and NK. pupils in each 
trait, it is evidently desirable to reduce their stand- 
ing to a single standard. The author has reduced the 
values to percents by multiplying them by the quan- 
tity indicating their value ; i. e., all A% 's have been 
multiplied by 9, all B%'s by 7, and all C%'s by 5 
respectively, according to the grading standards. 
Thus, for example in Attention of Grade I, the author 
got 724, being the sum of 31 X 9 + 50 X 7 + 19 X 5. 

Fig. II shows the result of this comparison, the 
nnn columns are the traits of NK. pupils of the com- 
mon elementary schools in Hiroshima City, and kkk 
columns are those of K. pupils in the same schools. 

Inspection of Fig. II shows that K. were judged 
superior in understanding, imagination, and scholar- 
ship ; but judged in the other traits, distinctly infer- 
ior. These results were quite different from what had 
been expected. 

Fig. Ill is the comparison of NK. of the common 
elementary schools in Hiroshima City and K. of 
twenty typical common elementary schools in 18 cities. 
Here it appears that in imagination and scholarship 
there was not as much difference between K. and NK. 
as in the former comparison, yet the traits in which 

[46] 



TABLE I 

Percents of pupils graded A. B. and in eac. trait of Kindergarten 
children in 20 Common elementary schools. 



1. Attention 

2. Patience 



3. Decision 






4. Understanding 




5. Memory 






6. Imagination 






Total No. of 




No. 


K. 


I Grade 


1420 


449 


II Grade 


1547 


382 


III Grade 


1532 


385 


IV Grade 


1310 


316 


V Grade 


1311 


316 


VI Grade 


992 


271 


Average 






VII and VIII 


215 


73 


Middle School 


1753 


341 


Girls* School 


2427 


348 


Average 






Whole Average 







7. Friendliness 

8. Love of natural objects 

9. Scholarship 

10. Moral conduct 

11. Health 




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[49] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

• 

the K. were superior to the NK. were exactly the same 
ones, i. e., understanding, imagination, memory and 
scholarship : and again they were inferior to the NK. 
in the other traits. 

Fig. IV shows the combined comparison of the five 
groups. The aaa columns are the traits of NK. of 
common elementary schools in Hiroshima City, the 
bbb columns are those of K. of 20 typical common 
elementary schools in 18 cities, the ccc columns are 
those of K. of common elementary schools in Hiro- 
shima City, the ddd columns are those NK. of higher 
elementary schools in Hiroshima City, and the eee 
columns are those of 20 higher elementary schools in 
18 cities. 

Fig. V is the comparison of three groups of common 
elementary schools. In this case the K. groups sur- 
pass in understanding, memory, imagination and 
scholarship as mentioned before. 

Fig. VI is the comparison of pupils who were at- 
tending the higher elementary schools. Here, K. 
were superior in imagination and scholarship but in- 
ferior in other traits. The reader must understand 
in this case that there is a general tendency for the 
superior pupils to enter the Middle Schools, Girls' 
Schools and the Normal Schools. 



[50] 



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[52] 



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[53] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 



Fia. VII 

Non-Kg. of common elementary schools in Hiroshima City 
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnminnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn 
Total sum 8250, Average 750. 

Kg. of 20 common elementary schools in 18 cities 
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk 
Total sum 8188. Average 744. 

Kg. of common elementary schools in Hiroshima City 
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk 
Total sum 8127. Average 738. 

Non-Kg. of higher elementary schools in Hiroshima City 
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn 

Total sum 8045. Average 731. 

Kg. students of 5 Girls' schools 
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk 

Total sum 8042. Average 731. 

Kg. of 20 higher elementary schools 
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk 

Total sum 7981. Average 725. 

Kg. students of 8 Middle schools 
kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk 

Total sum 7967. Average 724. 

Fig. VII shows the comparison of the total number 
of each trait of each group and their averages. The 
higher column signifies that the teachers estimated the 
group better than others. The inspection of the 
figure tells us distinctly that NK. come first in com- 
mon elementary schools, and also NK. surpasses K. in 
higher elementary schools. About the Middle Schools 
and the Girls' Schools the author cannot say anything 
of the comparison of K. and NK. 



[54] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

In order to investigate whether or not there is any 
correlation between these groups, the author tried to 
find co-efficients of correlation between both K. 
groups or both NK. groups, etc. For this purpose, 
the author used Spearman's rank-order method. For 
illustration the author will describe the case of the 
series of traits of K. in 20 common elementary schools 
(K. 20 C. E. S.) and those of K. in common elemen- 
tary schools in Hiroshima City (K. C. E. S. H.). 

The author found that there was the highest cor- 
relation (83) between the traits of the K of 20 com- 
mon elementary schools and those of K. of common 
elementary schools in Hiroshima. Its P. E. was .09. 
There was the least correlation between K. of 20 com- 
mon elementary schools and NK. of Higher elemen- 
tary schools in Hiroshima City. From these investi- 
gations the author can assume that between both K. 
^groups there is higher correlation than between K. and 
NK. groups. Further inference from these data the 
author leaves to the readers. 

C. The Classification of the Teachers' Criticisms 
of the Kindergarten Children 

The total number of the criticisms offered by teach- 
ers in the grade schools was 269. The following classi- 
fication will bring out the chief features: 



[55] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 



TABLE II 

INTELLECTUAL SIDE (62) 



Strong Points 

1 Better scholarship 18 

2 Better marks in manual 

training 12 

3 Better expression 7 

4 Well developed reason- 

ing power 6 

5 Developed imagination . . 5 

6 In general, their intel- 

lectual development is 
better than in the other 
group 5 

7 Know the day's news bet- 

ter than the other group 3 

Total 56 



WEAK POINTS 

1 Superficial knowledge ... 3 

2 Bad scholarship 3 



Total 



EMOTIONAL SIDE (43) 



1 Sympathy 9 

2 Social attitude 8 

3 Humor 5 

4 Love of natural objects. . 5 

5 Innocence 3 

6 They like group activity 2 

Total 32 



They become too familiar 

in bad sense 4 

Too capricious 4 

Weep easily 3 



Total 11 



VOLITIONAL SIDE (61) 



1 Quick activities 

2 They do not put teacher 

to much trouble in teach- 
ing 



[56] 



Inattentive 17 

Lack of habit of effort . . 9 
After all, they are not 

firm-spirited children . . 7 
Bad habit of disorder . . 6 
Put teacher to much trou- 
ble in controlling them 6 
Talkative 4 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 



Total 5 



7 Disobedient 4 

8 Bad conduct 3 

Total 56 



MISCELLANEOUS (98) 

The criticisms offered by teachers in the higher elementary schools, 
Girls' Higher schools and Middle schools were 37 in number. 



HIGHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 

1 Roughly speaking they be- 1 Too much spirit of de- 

long to the middle class pendence 1 

in scholarship 1 2 They act rashly, not 

2 Better marks in arithmetic 2 thrifty 1 

3 Obedience 1 3 No self-possession 1 

4 It seems to me that they 

have more ability to play 

than the other group . . 1 



MIDDLE SCHOOL 



In my class there are only 
two K.s, both are mild 
and frank 1 

Among them there are 
some good students ... 1 

It seems to me all of 
them have better health, 
but, of course, we can 
not say that it is caused 
by the Kindergarten 
training 1 

Among 126 second-year- 
students there are only 
3 K. s. They all are obe- 
dient and in higher 
standing of moral con- 
duct and scholarship, 
but they have retiring 
disposition and not 
enough vitality 1 



No effect of Kindergarten 
In general, they are in- 
attentive 

There are many so called 

fast boys among them. . 

In general, they are not 

healthy 

Bad marks in composition 
It seems to me that they 
waste much energy in 
infancy and that is the 
reason why they have 
bad health 



[57] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

These classifications confirm the above-given per- 
centage tables, for we find the criticisms which refer 
to intellectual aspects are 62 in number, of which 56 
favor the K. pupils as contrasted with only 6 against 
them. On the other hand, on the volitional side there 
are 61 criticisms of which 56 are unfavorable to the 
K. pupils. They are declared inferior in attention, 
moral traits, orderliness, all of which have been 
claimed as special aims of the kindergarten. Kinder- 
garteners who may read this study will, I am sure, 
seek to improve their work in these respects if im- 
provement is needed. 

D. Supplementary Investigation of the School 

Marks of Kindergarten and NonKinder- 

garten Children 

Method : This investigation was based on a report 
of an elementary school in Tokyo. This school has an 
attached kindergarten and the majority of the school 
children were, and are, the graduates of the kinder- 
garten. The principal of the school made an interest- 
ing report concerning the school marks of 1000 K. and 
NK. pupils. Table VII gives these data. The num- 
ber of the grade children was 1000. The number of 
K. was not mentioned in the report. Grading stand- 
ards were: Very high, A; Medium, B; Low, C. K. 
signifies Kindergarten children; NK. Non-Kinder- 
garten children. 

[58] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 



TABLE III 





MORAL 


READING 1 




K 


NK 


K 


NK 




A 


B 


C 


A 


B 


C 


A 


B 





ABC 


I grade 


60 


37 


3 


44 


49 


7 


51 


46 


3 


31 58 11 


II grade 


73 


25 


2 


52 


46 


2 


82 


18 





66 33 11 


III grade 


41 


57 


2 


27 


72 


1 


41 


57 


2 


28 69 3 


IV grade 


67 


30 


3 


34 


60 


6 


67 


33 





42 54 4 


V grade 


53 


41 


6 


45 


51 


4 


47 


47 


6 


36 54 9 


Av. 


60 


37 


3 


41 


55 


4 


59 


40 


1 


41 53 6 









ALL 


SUBJECTS 






K 


NK 


Ratio of 


NK 
K 


A 


B 





A 


B C 


55 


43 


2 


34 


57 9 


I grade 


0.93 


67 


29 


4 


49 


48 3 


II grade 


0.95 


42 


54 


4 


27 


68 5 


III grade 


0.97 


60 


37 


3 


36 


56 8 


IV grade 


0.89 


45 


46 


9 


33 


59 8 


V grade 


0.98 


55 


41 


4 


36 


57 7 


Average 


0.94 



The subjects were 13 in all, i. e., moral, reading, 
composition, penmanship, arithmetic, drawing, music, 
gymnastic, manual training, needlework, geography, 
history and science. To find out the ratio of all the 
school subjects of NK. and K. the author used the 
same method which he used in the former investiga- 

tions, i.e., he found the ratio of J~' In the 1st 

K. 
grade this is 0.93, by following procedure. 

34X9 + 57X74-9X5 
55 X 9 + 43 X 74- 2 X 5 



== 0.93, etc. 



[59] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

NIC 

The average ratio of ~^- is 0.94. As the reader will 

understand, this means that if the scholarship of K. 
were 1 then that of NK. will be .94. 

Conclusion. This investigation shows obviously 
that the scholarship of the K. surpasses that of NK. 

E, Comparison With Other Investigations 

In 1909 Dr. Leonard P. Ayres in New York and in 
1911 Supt. Holland, in Louisville, made investiga- 
tions of the time required by K. and NK. pupils to 
complete the eight grades. They report no appreci- 
able difference. The investigations made in New Or- 
leans (1914), in Newton, Mass. (1913) and in 
Kenosha, Wis. (1912) were based upon the length of 
time taken to complete the work, of certain grades. 
In all three investigations the results were in favor 
of K. children. 

In these investigations the basis of comparison be- 
tween K. and NK. children has been the length of 
time required to complete the work of the grades. But 
the mere speed is only one criterion of educational 
value. 

In Savannah, Carol P. Oppenheimer (1912) made 
an investigation, based on the school marks of K. and 
NK. children in the primary grades. The outcome 
was decidedly in favor of the K. children. 

Mr. L. A. Marsh made a study of 380 elementary 
school children in 12 grades, all of the Edgewood 
public schools in Pittsburg (1914). The investiga- 

[60] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

tion was made with the aid of questionnaires. Teach- 
ers Avere asked to report upon the following points : 

1. Self-confidence 10. Observation 

2. Moral attitude 11. Response to direction 

3. Love of nature 12. Response to ideas 

4. Ability to mix 13. Manual ability 

5. Friendliness 14. Cleanliness 

6. Interest 15. Orderliness 

7. Attention 16. Oral expression 

8. Ability to think 17. Ability to play 

9. Originality 

He found that K. children showed greater self-con- 
fidence. In moral attitude the NK. surpassed and 
showed a total difference of 0.33. In love of nature, 
ability to mix and friendliness K. were ahead; but 
NK. were far ahead in attention. In all, the NK. sur- 
passed in four points : namely, moral attitude, atten- 
tion, manual ability and orderliness. The most re- 
markable differences in favor of K. were in ability to 
mix, in originality, and in response to ideas. The dif- 
ference was high in favor of K. in self-confidence, love 
of nature, friendliness, observation, oral expression, 
and in ability to play. 

F. Conclusions 

From these data the author draws the following 
conclusions: Where K. and NK. children are com- 

[61] 



THE KINDERGARTEN IN JAPAN 

pared during their progress through, the public 
schools, the kindergarten children are (a) superior 
to non-kindergarten children in scholarship, under- 
standing and memory; roughly speaking K. children 
are better on the intellectual side ; ( b ) inferior in ca- 
pacity for sustained effort and diligence, (c) inferior 
in many moral habits, as disorderliness, inattention, 
talkativeness, disobedience, etc., (d) not superior in 
physical capacity and bodily health. 



[«i 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 



• CHAPTER I 
''The History of Modern Elemen- 
tary Education," 1912 433-460 
"Educational Encyclopaedia" 598 
' ' Education of Man, ' ' translated by 
W. N. Hailmann. 

CHAPTER II 
"The History of Modern Elemen- 
tary Education," 1912 433-460 
"Educational Encyclopaedia" 598 
"Outline of School Administra- 
tion, 1912 55-156 
' ' Kindergarten in the U. S., ' ' 1914 7-12-15 
"The Report of Commission of 
Education" 

CHAPTER III 

"The Method of Kindergarten 

Training " ( In Japanese ) , 1906 120-125 

' ' Encyclopaedia Japonica " (In 

Japanese), 1908 1569-1572 

CHAPTER IV 

"Manual of Mental and Physical 

Tests," 1914 42-43-44 

E. L. Thorndike "Theory of Mental and Social 

Measurement," 1913 227 

International "The Report of the Twenty-Second 
Kindergarten Annual Meeting," 1915 116-117 

Union "The Elementary School Journal," 

June No., 1915 543-550 

Further references are in the foot-notes. 



s. 


C. Paker, 


P. 


Monroe 


F. 


Froebel 


S. 


C. Paker 


P. 


Monroe 


A. 


C. Perrt? 


U. 


S. Bulletin 


Nc 


). 6 


U. 


S. 


M. 


Atsuma 


DOBUNKWAN 


a. 


M. Whipple 



[Ixiii] 



INDEX TO TABLES 



TABLE I. 

TABLE 11. 
TABLE III. 

FIG. I. 
FIG. II. 

FIG. III. 

FIG. IV. 
FIG. V. 

FIG. VI. 

FIG. VII. 



Percents of pupils graded A, B, and C 
in each traits of Kindergarten chil- 
dren in 20 common elementary 
schools 47 

Classification of the teachers criticisms 

of the Kindergarten children . 56 

Percents of pupils graded A, B, and C 

in school marks of 1000 children . 59 

INDEX OF FIGURES 
No. of children enrolled in Kindergarten 

in 1912 25 

The comparison of Kindergarten children 
and Non-Kindergarten children of 
common elementary schools in 
Hiroshima City . . . .48 

The comparison of NK in Hiroshima and 
K of 20 common elementary 
schools 49 

The combined comparison of five groups 51 

The comparison of the three groups of 

common elementary schools . . 52 

The comparison of the higher elementary 

schools 53 



The comparison of the total sums of each 
trait of each group 

[Ixiv] 



54 



I 



I 

I 



